The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-07-09


Christian truth, religious truth.
Take also the second and third self
evident truths. "All men are endowed
by their Creator with certain inalien-
able rights; among these are life, lib
erty, and the pursuit of happiness. :"
An inalienable right cannot be trans
ferred. 1t cannot be bartered to an
other. 1t is absolute. 1t is eternal.
There is political truth which is far
better than much that is called relig-
ious truth. How much of old fashioned
Calvinism is here How does the
Declaration read beside certain other
memorable doctrine, to wit: "By the
| decree of God, some men and angels
are predestinated unto everlasting life,
and others foreordained to everlasting
death" presbyterian Confession, chap.
ILL.,, Sec. 3.) How then have such men
and angels any right to life, liberty, or
the pursuit of happiness How right
to anything but everlasting death and
eternal woe? OF what avail the pur-
suit of happiness which forever fees
| from us? And how much more hopeless
the case when even the pursuit is de-
MED Calvinism is divine rights for
the elect, and divine wrath for the rep
robates. Fortunately for the Federal
Union, it's founders were not all Calvin
lists, and Calvinism was not put into
the foundation of the government, else
only the saints could have held office;
only the saints could have been
enfranchised; only the saints could
have enjoyed the right to life, liberty,
and the pursuit of happiness. Every
other man would have been accounted
a trumpet of sedition, and thorn in
the flesh.
Notice again the self-evident truth :
'To secure these rights, governments
are instituted among men," That is
to say, human governments are institu-
ted to secure the divine right to life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
And the people may alter or abolish a
government which becomes destruc-
tive of this right. Such were the self
evident truths by which our fathers
sought to justify the war of the revolu-
tion for their independence.
And here again we find truth in har-
mony with the Sermon on the Mount,
and therefore eternal truth. Jesus was
ready to abolish those laws which were
subversive of the welfare and happiness
of the people. But not one jot or little
should pass from the eternal law of
God. The Hebrew laws of revenge, of
divorce, of retaliation, the Master put
away and substituted others. So the
old covenant as a system of legislation,
was abolished, and the new set up in
its place. This is practical example
of the self-evident truth that whenever
any form of government becomes de-
structive of the right to life, liberty,
and the pursuit of happiness, the peo-
pie may alter or abolish it and institute
new government to effect the safety
and happiness Of the nation.
Now it would yield abundant hope for
all mankind, if this was eternal truth.
Our fathers called these political doc
trines self evident truths. Are they
not also religious and eternal truths ?
Will they not be true forever !?
But what then will be the religious
effect upon mankind ? Suppose it
shall prove true that the system of Cal
vinism, or Catholicism, or Arminian-
ism, in the long future, has curtailed
the right to life, liberty, and the pur-
suit of happiness, is there not reserved
right to alter, or amend, or abolish
these systems, and set up new princi-
Piles for the liberty and happiness of
all. For example, the political posi-
tion of women under the laws of the
United States, is matter of grave dis
cussion. The self-evident truths be-
gin to dawn upon this generation, that
all mankind are created equal, that all
mankind are endowed by their Creator
with certain inalienable rights-that
among these are life, liberty, and the
pursuit of happiness. Well, the abridge-
ment of these rights confers the right
of revolution to whomsoever they are
denied. The people have a right to
alter or abolish any law or any govern
ment which denies these rights to our
population. In the end the truth will
win. Within the lives of this living
generation, the bells of Independence
will ring out the liberties-the equal
liberties of all our people. There
shall be, politically, neither male nor
female. Eye shall know the truth and
tie truth shall make you free," polit-
ically, no less than religiously. Truth
is mighty and will prevail.
The man still lives who wrote our
national song of liberty-Rev. DR.. S. F.
Smith, of Newtonville, Mass.
'My country, tbs of thee
Sweet land of liberty"
That song, "Sweet land of liberty" is
now fifty-fve years old. Written in